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Did a search and came up empty handed. I jacked up the Explorer to check out a noise I have been hearing and the driver side rear wheel hub assembly is shot. I was wondering what size the nut is holding the rotor on is, also what is the ft/lbs I should torque it back too? Where is the best place to get the hub assembly, the stealership? Thanks guys

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ISSUE
Some 2002-2005 Explorer 4dr/Mountaineer and 2003-2005 Aviator vehicles may exhibit a noise from the rear wheel hub bearings. Previous service procedures required service replacement of the wheel hub bearing assembly, base part (1109). This new service procedure allows replacement at a lower service level of the wheel bearing, base part (1215) to repair the noise condition.

ACTION
Replace the rear hub bearing and wheel bearing retainer ring. Refer to the following Service Procedure.

SERVICE PROCEDURE

CAUTION SUSPENSION FASTENERS ARE CRITICAL.

WHEN REPLACING SUSPENSION FASTENERS USE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT FASTENERS, OR FASTENERS OF EQUIVALENT QUALITY AND DESIGN. DO NOT INSTALL A REPLACEMENT FASTENER OF LESSER QUALITY OR DIFFERENT DESIGN. PROPER TORQUE VALUES MUST BE OBSERVED DURING REASSEMBLY TO ENSURE CORRECT RETENTION OF ALL COMPONENTS. MAKE SURE THE FASTENERS ARE REINSTALLED IN THE SAME ORIENTATION AS WHEN REMOVED.

CAUTION DO NOT LOOSEN THE AXLE WHEEL HUB RETAINER UNTIL THE WHEEL AND TIRE ARE REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE. WHEEL BEARING DAMAGE WILL OCCUR IF THE WHEEL BEARING IS UNLOADED WITH THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE APPLIED.

NOTE HAVE AN ASSISTANT PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL TO KEEP THE AXLE FROM TURNING.

1. Remove the axle-to-wheel hub retainer nut and washer (Figure 1).

Discard the nut. When reinstalling at end of procedure, tighten to 203 lb-ft (275 N.m).

I also have a bad bearing in a 2003 driver side rear.. How do you seperate the upper rear ball loint from the knuckle? I removed the pinch bolt nut..also the rear tow link (i guess you call it)... use a ball joint fork?

Holy sh*t this is exactly what is wrong with my X. Its almost louder than the f-15's I have to listen to take off everyday. Now all of a sudden it makes a popping noise too. Looks like I'm getting ready to spend a good chunk of change. Anyone know about how much this runs to get done at the stealership?

well Im almost done doing mine ..Napa had the bearing for 72.00 and the charged 20 to press out the old one and press in the new one. Im waiting for an axle shaft seal..should be in tomorrow ..that was leaking at the diff. Now that Ive done it it wasnt so bad. While at it I replace the diff dope.. takes synthetic. My brother works at the daealer he didnt have an exact amt. but sounded like over 200 for the bearing, that may also include the hub.. with all parts and a few tools I purchased ..axle nut (16.00) socket, Suction gun to make it easier to fill the diff (8.00) synthetuic dope (30.00) some boots for the ball joing and the other part that is like a tie rod..( I boogered up the old boots ) Im a little over 200.00

my ford shop wants 300$ to do it. Had the left rear bearing done @ 60k, 10,000 miles later the other side is making noise. yay
I am mechanically inclined and have the tools, but I dont feel like messing with it.

After I read that I saved my pennies to get my local independent shop to do the bearings and rear diff oil seals. No way I wanted to mess with all that stuff! If I was 20 yrs younger and had the space and time to do it maybe, but not for me. I envy the folks that tackle this job and do it successfully.

I might give the fronts a try during the summer when I can get by with one car and I can work at it without a deadline.

Hello All
Just last January as the began to fall, I was on my way to work when one of my wheel bearings failed. I immediately turned around and went 8 blocks home. I gave the preliminary tough shake to both front tires and pass. side had way too much horizontal movement so I decided the get the new bearing and tackle this. When I found [URL="www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=251915&highlight=rear+wheel+bearing+replacement""] I found the details needed to get it done. It all came apart too easy then I mounted my bicycle and sloshed my way through the powder with the 25lb front pass. knuckle from my 04 in my backpack. I was on a tight budget and a tighter time frame. The ride was better than expected and the goal was simple: head to the closest machine shop to get the bearing pressed out and replaced with the $68 part purchased at O'Reilly's. A couple hours later, I was again riding the mountain bike through deeper snow to pick up the part and rode back home. The Napa machine shop did it for $50 in 2 1/2 hours, and I got a free football. It made a horrible sound when it broke into thousands of pieces, but the assembly it is pressed into maintained its mechanical structure. The part was sandblasted clean and beautiful. Installed smooth as buttah. 8 months later its still holding true. While I had a 36mm socket I tested the rest of the axle nuts and found both rears to be super sloppy. I tightened them to 203 and that was that. Today I saw the rear driver wheel slanting inward at the top. Thought the axle nut might have loosened again but was at 200. Raised wheel and had a whole lotta shakin goin on! There is absolutely no sound from this bearing but travel at high speeds is wobbly.
The question: should I purchase entire knuckle assembly for $112 or only the bearing for $68? Seems I can save $$ if I buy the assemly, but I dont know if I still need to have something pressed? Seems lots of trouble.
Bearing: $68
Shop work: $50
Total: $118

I read this thread some time ago. So Saturday wile I was out and about I heard a terrible grinding noise from the right rear hub. Great I thought. Well it's time to put the 20ton press to work and my big pullers etc.

I got the wheel off and the front of the caliper hung up and off to the side. then inspected the coil. Nope no break. Then I took my big hammer, slapped the rotor a few time next to the lugs and bingo. Without the aid of WD40 or any thing the rotor comes loose. OK so far.

Now as I pull off the rotor I hear the tickling of pieces of something hitting the floor. hmmmm guess what? It wasn't the hub making the noise. It was the parking brake shoes. The material had shattered into pieces that were grinding against the rotor. Made my day. A run up the parts store and a few hours of work and the new shoes are in. I did determine it is possible to replace the shoes without taking the hub off. It's like building a ship in a bottle but can be done. If you ever find yourself replacing these shoes you'll find that the one shoe is harder than the other. It's retaining hardware uses a straight nail looking pin with a a spade head that goes through the side of the shoe and is held in place by a spring clip. Well the nail looking thing has to be routed through a hole in the back of the dust shield. Problem is the hole is just above the bottom of the knuckle. No room to see anything. It's all done by feel and it's way at the end of your finger. No way to fish it in there. Just tape it to a wire and fish the wire in there. Pull it through the hole and the shoe at the same time. Now the fun part, putting the spring clip on. Here is the key. Put a rag in the hole after the pin is in. Pound the rag in there tight. It holds the pin in while you wrestle with the clip. The pin is held in place by turning it by the spade 90 deg. Thing is the pin only stays in place to be turned because you pounded the rag in behind it.

Anyway, It wasn't the hub (this time) it was the parking brake. Hope you are so lucky too.

I just replaced my rear struts and springs and rear wheel bearings today with monroe quick struts. The best way to separate the upper ball joint and tie rod end. Remove bolts thread on by hand and smack with a hammer to remove the bolt. I used a air hammer with a chisel bit then two good smacks with a hammer. Went pretty good I used the timken hubs for the front and back hope they last they were much cheaper then oem.